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Thursday, November 20, 2014

The color is light blue... and a tutorial

Sugar Cone 3 inch block

The color for November at RSC14 (soscrappy) is light blue. I know one needs lights and darks to make a quilt sparkle but I must admit I don't reach for pale fabrics as often as bright saturated colors.

Still...
I like them and blues that remind you of sky are beautiful. Out came the blue scrap bins, the paper pieced pattern sugar cone and I made some blocks.

I figured out an easier more exact way to match block segments and thought you might like to know too.

First place the two segments face to face. Stick a pin straight through both corners, turning it over to make sure it's in exactly the right place. Push the pin all the way thru til the pinhead bumps the paper. Do this on both corners you want to sew thru.

On the 6 inch blocks, I also stuck a pin midway.

Then carefully while it's in place hold a pin parallel to the paper and carefully making sure not to distort it, pin parallel to the sewing line. Repeat on other side. Take out the first pins, sew, flip over and it should be sewn on both printed lines and match exactly.

You see, by pinning this way you leave the pins in while not sewing over them. You can knock off your machine's timing by hitting a pin.

And now I want to tell you about my favorite new tool! I got a little Fiskars cutting set last year for little paper piecing blocks. I didn't use it til yesterday and WOW! I love it! It twirls around so you can cut without moving the block or ruler. It turns around easily. Perfectly.

My white mat is so hard I have to push down with my rotary cutter but this one is perfect with a light touch.
In fact it's so perfect I don't want to use it.
(crazy)
I don't want to use it because I'll use it up and hopefully they'll make more.
They stopped making my favorite bra, my favorite lipstick, my favorite running shoes, so I hope they'll keep making these!

I am behind on making the 3 inch squares in monthly colors but here are all the ones I've made so far.

I have no idea how I'll set them but I like them a lot. And they are all from scraps a sane person would have thrown away!
LeeAnna
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I like your blue blocks. The very light one says winter to me. I know what you mean about manufactures stopping production of our favorite things. It's happened to me more often that I care to think about.

Your blue stars are so pretty ! Thanks for the pinning tip... I am guilty of sewing over pins "occasionally!" Will try to stop that now! I also just starting using that turnable Fiskars mat.... such a fun tool!Susie

I hear you. This year my favorite eye shadow was discontinued and VS 'rearranged' my favorite panties and I don't like them anymore... Still not over it! Sigh. Here's to the long life of your new favorite tool!

LeeAnna, those are great blocks! What surprises me is that a soft blue color looks so wonderful against the cream, low volume background. I'm usually thinking bright, bold colors too. Love your sense of humor! And it is too true that they often stop making our favorite things!

What a neat idea! I would love it if you joined and contribute your awesome posts at my link party at City of Creative Dreams, starts on Fridays :D Hope to see you there at City of Creative Dreams Link Party.

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